Annapolis, Md. The Air Force Falcons were left saying “if” this and “if” that, but Navy didn’t leave any doubt on its way to a 31-20 victory Saturday in front of a Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium record-setting crowd of 37,615.

It was the Midshipmen’s fifth consecutive victory over the Falcons and a giant step toward their fifth consecutive Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, which goes to the winner of the Navy-Air Force-Army round robin.

“We did what we had to do to win the game,” Navy coach Paul Johnson said. “We received contributions from all facets of our game.”

Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada was the chief instigator, scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to seal the 11-point triumph. The lead changed hands six times in the game before Kaheaku-Enhada clinched it, improving Navy to 3-2 and leaving the Falcons with the same record after a second straight loss.

Maybe the most damning sequence occurred at the start of the fourth quarter with Air Force ahead 20-17. The Midshipmen converted two fourth- down plays, the first on a 2-yard run by Eric Kettani on fourth-and-1 at the Air Force 11-yard line, the other on Kaheaku-Enhada’s 2-yard crash over right guard that gave Navy a 24-20 lead with 13:01 left in the game.

“Anytime there are two fourth downs converted on the same drive, it takes the wind out of the defense,” Air Force nose guard Jared Marvin said. “Momentum just walks right across the field.”

The Navy quarterback then provided the crusher when he ran 78 yards for a touchdown on an option play for a 31-20 lead with 9:18 remaining.

“Air Force messed up on its defense on the play,” Kaheaku-Enhada said. “They had been playing really disciplined all game, but on that play, I just came through and it was wide open.”

If the Falcons had stopped one of the fourth-down plays, if they had corralled Kaheaku-Enhada on the long run and if kicker Ryan Harrison had not missed a field goal and had one blocked, the Falcons might not be wondering about their losing streak to the Midshipmen.

The Falcons outgained Navy by 93 yards (474-381). They had seven more first downs and ran 12 more plays.

But they also had three more penalties, resulting in 40 more yards of infractions. On one fourth-quarter drive, with a third-and-1 at the Navy 8, the Falcons committed three penalties and had to punt.

“We knew we had to put up some points,” said quarterback Shaun Carney, who passed for 237 yards. “We got inside the 10 several times and came away with three points. We felt like we were in control offensively the whole game, but we left too many points out there.”

Kaheaku-Enhada threw only seven passes, completing four for 79 yards. But his big touchdown run put him at 101 yards rushing for the game. Navy, which entered the game as the nation’s top rushing team at 360 yards a game, finished with 302.

“Candidly, I thought they played with a little more poise and a little more discipline than we did,” Falcons coach Troy Calhoun said.

“And in a game like this, you have to max out those intangibles. Navy did a better job of that today.

“I thought we missed some chances in the first half when we didn’t convert. We left some scoring opportunities on the field, and if you leave too many of those on the field, you’re going to be in trouble.”

The Grades – By Irv Moss

OFFENSE

D: A lot was below average. A fumble and three consecutive penalties that took the Falcons out of range of possible points were damaging. Quarterback Shaun Carney’s 18-of-23 passing and Chad Hall’s eight receptions for 108 yards kept it from a failing mark.

DEFENSE

D: Drew Fowler’s 16 tackles produced a highlight, but allowing the Midshipmen to convert two fourth downs on the way to a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter and Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada to run 78 yards for another wasn’t up to par.

SPECIAL TEAMS

D: Ryan Harrison was 2-for-4 in field-goal attempts, missing one and having one blocked. He also averaged just 25 yards on two punts.

OVERALL

D: For the game, it was just above the failing mark. The end result was a fifth consecutive loss to Navy.

Irv Moss worked as a full-time reporter for The Denver Post from 1956 until his retirement in 2016, making him one of the longest-serving journalists in the country. He first worked for the newspaper as a copy boy in early 1953, twice leaving the paper to do some electrician work, before returning in 1956. He covered every sport in the state of Colorado in his 60-year career, including the Colorado Rockies, Olympics, and high school sports.

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